adminTADIWANASHE Marumani (79 runs) and Tapiwa Mufudza (three wickets) were the key players for Alliance Health Eagles as they turned the tables on Rhinos at Kwekwe Sports Club on Monday, winning the return Pro50 Championship match between the teams by 21 runs on Duckworth-Lewis.
This was despite a brilliant bowling performance from Brandon Mavuta, who took seven good wickets for Rhinos.
The Eagles, put in to bat, had a very patchy innings.
They enjoyed a brisk but brief opening partnership of 32 until in the sixth over Nick Welch (13) drove a catch to Takudzwanashe Kaitano at mid-off from Carl Mumba’s bowling.
His partner Marumani was in superb form, though, and as long as he was in a succession of failures by his partners was not as serious as it might have been.
He alone could handle the fine leg-spin bowling of Mavuta, who picked off his partners one by one at regular intervals.
Kudzai Maunze was caught at point by Mike Chinouya off Mavuta for two, while Chamu Chibhabha was beaten by the spin and stumped for six.
Six wickets were down for 117, but just as Faraz Akram arrived at the crease and began batting with more determination, Marumani tried a reverse sweep off Mavuta and popped a simple catch to Mumba at point.
He scored 79 off only 62 balls, with four sixes and nine fours.
Akram built a sturdy innings while Tanaka Chivanga became Mavuta’s final victim at 141 for eight before his overs expired.
With Mavuta now out of the picture, Mufudza could settle in and build the largest partnership of the innings, 61 for the ninth wicket with Akram.
Even so, they were unable to use up the full 50 overs, as at 202 Akram was caught at long-on off Johnathan Campbell’s bowling for 40, off 71 balls.
Mufudza was last out, run out for 26, and the final total was 211, scored off 45.1 overs.
Mavuta quite dominated the bowling, taking seven wickets for 41 runs.
Scores
Alliance Health Eagles – 211 all out in 45.1 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 79, Faraz Akram 40, Tapiwa Mufudza 26; Brandon Mavuta 7/41, Johnathan Campbell 1/22, Carl Mumba 1/32)
Rhinos – 95-5 in 23.3 overs (Takudzwanashe Kaitano 20, Prince Masvaure 19, Johnathan Campbell 15; Tapiwa Mufudza 3/18, Kadeem Alleyne 1/3, Tanaka Chivanga 1/31)
Alliance Health Eagles won by 21 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method) – zimcricket
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter